Apparatus for measuring the flow of fluids.



G. J. CLARK. APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE FLOW 0P FLUIDS. M

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 190a.

' Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

c. J. CLARK.

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE FLOW 0F FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1908.

948,872. Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

"2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

Amm- I CHARLES J. CLARK, or BLUE ISLAND, rumors.

APPARATUS FOR MEAsuRIns'r E FLOW OF'FLUIZDS.

eaas'ze.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 131 1).

- Application filed July 1, 1938. Serial No. 441,503.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Blue Island, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and use: ful Improvement in Apparatusfor Measuring the Flow of Fluids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for measuringthe flow of fluid, and has for its object the production of a device by the use of which the rate of flow of fluids, either confined or unconfined, may be measured.'

A further object is the production of a device in whichthe Pitot tube is used in combination with other mechanism, thereby obtaining an accurate and reliable device and one that is least liable to get out of order.

A further object is the production of a device that can be thrown out of service when readings are not desired, together with means for minimizing the accumulation of foreign. matter within the tubes. I

'A further object is the production of a device that canbe readily placed in a pipe, and as readily removed when desired.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter be disclosed are attained by my device, embodiments of which are illustrated I in the accompanying drawings, in which F 1 re 1 is a plan view of my device in 'POSltlOIl. Fig. 2 1s a sectional view through a portion ofmy device. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an end view ofv Fig.

3.2 Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of' ard. Fig. 6 represents'a the end cap or side elevation o the indicating portion of my device,'pa'rtly in section. Fig. 7 represents a top plan view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 representsaside elevation of Fig. 4, partly in section. V

Likenumerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to'the drawings-+9 represents a Pitot tube preferably terminating atits forward end or opening in a sharpened edge 10; 11 represents the static tube or side gage also terminating in sharpened or thin edges 12, 13; 14;- represents the actual static orifice from which extends a tube 15. This tube and the lower-limb "1 6 of the Pi'tot tube communicate with the two sides of the indicator. The, supporting plate or flange 17 is adapted to be secured to a pipe 18 by 58 in which is screwed the plug 59.

means of bolts or rivets passing through the holes 1919, or in any well-known manner. The opening 20 in this plate is adapted to register with the corresponding opening in the tube or pipe 18, and a plug 21 is fitted within the opening 20 and provided with a shoulder 22 adaptedto rest against the outer face of the plate. This plu may be screw-threaded if desired. The p ug 21 is removably secured to the plate 111 any desired manner, as, for instance, by bolts 23. 'In Fig. 1, the device is shown with the tubes inserted in place within the pipe 18. The tubes 15-16 extend into the plu 21 communicating with passages 25- 26 wiich extend through screw-threaded nipples. Tubes 29-30 communicate with said passage and. are secured to said plug by means ofscrew-connections 3132,-and nuts 33 34, insuring an air-tight connection. A shaft 35 passes through the plug and extends upwardly alongside the tubes 15-l6 and provided with a hand lever 36 rigidly secured thereto. The arm 37 is rigidly mounted on the top of the shaft and extending alongside the tubes 911. The shaft is mounted on bearings 38 which are shown secured to the tubes, and serve to hold the shaft in place. On the end of the arm 37 is secured a cap or guard 39 provided with openings 4041 adapted to register with the mouths of the tubes 9-11 when in place on the front thereof. A spring 42 serves to hold the shaft in position, so that the cap is normally in front of the opening. By moving the hand lever 36, the cap can be thrown aslde, asshown in Fig. 3. 4 Referring now to Fig. 6, the indicating means comprises a casing or reservoir 43 adapted to e secured to the wa llby means of screws passing through ears or Wings fl5. A hollow plug 46 communicates with the 1nterior 47 of the casing, and the-tube 30 is se-' cured thereto in open communication therewith by means of a nut 48 andscrew connection 49. A chambered casting 50 having a passage 51 is also provided with cars 52 throu h which the screw 53passes, fastening the casting in position. The tube or pipe. 29communicates with the passage 51 and is held in place by screw connectionsand nuts 5455. The castin 50 is provlded with a threaded nipple56 1n which is a passage 57 communicating with the passage 51. A reservoir 43 is provided with an o ening glass tube 60 communicates with the passage 51 and the chamber 47, and by means of nuts 61 and screw connections 62 the connections between the said tube and castings are rendered right. In the casting 50, an opening 63 is made in line with the passage 57 and a screw 64 adapted to close the opening. This passage is so positioned that the tube 60 may be withdrawn or inserted therethrough without removing the castings 50 or 43 from their fixed position. Back of the tube 60 is placed a scale 65 fitting within clamps 66 and so arranged that the scale may be slid longitudinally of the tube 60. This permits the longitudinal movement of the scale in order to adjust it to varying conditions to which the device may be subjected. The indicating mechanism as a whole is preferably secured to a frame 67 and provided with an opening 68, back of which 1s secured a spirit level 69, thus insuring the proper placing of the device. The chamber 47 is partially filled with some liquidsuch, for instance, as kerosene oilto a height on a level with the zero of the scale when the instrument is out of service. At some point within the tubes 2930 are located valves '70 71 by means of which the indicating mechanism may be out 01f. The valves are also so constructed as to permit communication with.

the air in order to blow out any obstruction through the tube if desired. The scale shown in Fig. 6 has been ruled ofl' to indicate velocity in feet per second in a tube of a certain sizefor instance, the tube shown in 18. The indicating mechanism above shown may be some other form of manometer or liquid level differential gage. The great advantage, however, in having one limb inclined toward the horizontal is that it renders it easier to read small differences of pressure set up in the device.

The scale shown is divided as a scale of squares, as clearly shown in the drawing. In further explanation of this, I might say that since pressure registered by a differential manometer when connected to a Pitot tube and static tube varies as the second power of the velocity of the fluid being meas-- gas. The pressure set up in these tubes is transmitted through connections 2930 to the indicating instrument, whereupon the level of the liquid moves to a position corresponding to the rate of flow which can be read off on the scale 65. On releasing the lever, the guard returns to its normal ositicn,

rate of flow is tobe measured, with the plane of the orifice approximately normal to the line of flow for the purpose of receiving and transmitting the sum of the static pressure plus the pressure due to the velocity or velocity head. By the term static opening or orifice, I mean an opening into the current of fluid of such form and so placed as to receive and transmit a pressure not appreciably greater than the actual static pressure of the fluid.

While I have shown the static tube and the -Pitot tube side by side and the shaft carrying the guard secured thereto, it is evident that it 1s not necessary to have these parts so located in order to fully carry out my device. I find, however, that this'arrangement is the most advantageous one in order to simplify the device as a whole. The static opening or orifice could, of course, be placed in any other position and the tube itself is not a necessity, the idea simply being to provide means whereby the stream of fluid is compelled to flow parallel to the plane of the orifice. 'This is rendered necessary from the fact that the flow of fluids in the tubes is not always in parallel lines, there being always more or less vortex motion, and the presence of this vortex motion causes the revious forms of static openings to indicate incorrectly, thus making the reading of the apparatus incorrect by an unknown amount, and of which amount the usual method of calibrating the instruments bypassing them at a known speed through a fluid at rest gives no indication.

By the use of my device, however, the tubes are only open to the flow of gasor fluid when readings are being taken.- Consequently there is but little chance for forei matter to accumulate within the tubes. fv

course, a certain amount will accumulate if the tubes are open at all, but this can be readily removed either by opening the valves 7071 and increasing the pressure, blowing 'out all impurities from the tube; or in the event that the impurities are of an oily nature or suchas adhere closely to the insides of the tubes, the tubes themselves may be removed from the pipe by simply unscrewing the screws 23-'23 and the tubes cleaned in i any well-known manner.

justed vertically or horizontally, thus varying the inclination of the tube from the horizontal and rendering the device capable of use under all circumstances.

It is evident that there may be many modifications in this device which are not described in this application,.but which come fully within the spirit of the invention which comprises the use of the guard, the indicating means and the Pitot tube and side gage.

In order that there may be no misunderstanding in the use of the terms, I define a Pitot tube to be a tube provided with an orifice facing the current of fluid being measured, the plane of said orifice being substantially normal to the line of fiow. And I also define the term static-tube or side gage to mean a tube provided with an orifice opening into the .current of fluid, the plane of saidorifice being substantially parallel to the line of flow.

In the above specification, it will be noted that applicant has refrained from entering into a discussion of the use of the Pitot tube, as well as the methods of measuring the flow of liquid, but has confined himself strictly to the mechanical features of the device in question.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, and means including a movable chambered cap for preventing the obstruction of said tubes, and means for holding said cap and moving it.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means connecting the indicating means with the tubes and a movable chambered cap adapted to cover the entrances to said Pitot tube and side gage, and means for holding said cap and moving it.

3. In a deviceof the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means connecting the 1ndicating means with the tubes and a movable chambered cap adapted to cover'the entrances to said Pitot tube and side gage.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination witha Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means connecting the indicat-ing means with the tubes and a movable chambered cap adapted to cover the entrance to said Pitot tubeand side gage, thus permitting intercommunication between said tubes.

5. In a device of the class combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means connecting the indicating means with the tubes and spring described, the

I gage. The indicating mechanism may be adhaving substantially actuated chambered means for preventing the obstruction of said Pitot tube and side 6. In a device of the class indicating means. means connecting the indicating means with the tubes and a spring- I actuated movable chambered cap adapted to cover the entrances to said tubes.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with-a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means connecting the indicating means with the tubes and a springactuated movable chambered cap adapted to cover the entrance to said tubes, thus permitting intercommunication between said tubes.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, and spring actuated chambered means for preventing the obstruction of said tubes, so adjusted as to normally cover the entrances to said tubes. 1

9. In a'device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a side gage, indicating means, means for preventing the obstruction of said tubes, and means including a chambered cap for equalizing the pressure and means connecting the indicating means with the tubes.

10. In a device of the class described, a Pitot tube, a static tube having a static opening, a movable chambered cap arranged to cover said Pitot tube and static tube, and a manometer communicating with said tubes and having one limb inclined toward the horizontal.

11. In a device of the class described, a Pitot tube, a static tube having a static opening, and a movable cap arranged to cover said Pitot tube andstatic tube, said cap being provided with a passage whereby the pressure in said Pitot tube and static tube may be equalized, in combination with a manometer communicating therewith and having one limb horizontally inclined.

12. In'adevice of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a static tube both ends and provi ed with an orifice in the wall of said tube, and indicating means, whereby the flow of fluid is shown, with means connecting the Pitot tube and static tube with the indicating means.

13. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a Pitot tube, a static tube,

cover said Pitot I amovable cap adapted to tube and static tube and to form a closed passage therebetween, means for holding said cap and movin it, indicating means whereby the flow 0 liquid is shown, and means connecting the Pitot tube and static tube with the indicating means.

14. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a Pitot tube, a static tube described, the combination with a Pitot tube,'a side gage,

arallel sides, open at together having substantially parallel sides, and a manometer communicatin and having one limb inc ined toward the horizontal, and a scale graduated as a scale of squares.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a static tube having substantially parallel sides, open at both ends, and provided with an orifice in the wall thereof, a movable cap adapted to cover and form a closed passage between said Pitot tube and static tube, means for holding said cap and moving it, indicating means whereby the flow of fluid is shown, and means connecting the Pitot tube and static tube with the indicating means.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a static-tube, a movable cap adapted to .cover and form a closed passage between said Pitot-tube and static tube, means for holding said cap and moving it, and a manometer communicating with said tubes and having one limb inclined toward the horizontal,- and a graduated scale.

with said tubes 17. In a device of the class described, the combinationwvith a Pitot tube, a static tube open at both ends and provided with an orifice in the wall thereofya movable cap adapted to cover and form a closed passage between said Pitot tube and static tube, means for holding said cap and moving it, and a manometer communicating with said tubes and having one limb inclined toward the horizontal.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Pitot tube, a static tube having substantially parallel sides, open at both ends and provided with an orifice in the wall thereof, and a manometer communicating with said tubes and having one limb inclined toward the horizontal at an angle exceeding sixty degrees from the vertica Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 25th day of June, 1908.

- CHARLES J. CLARK.

Witnesses:v

ALBERT J. SAUSER, S. LEWIS. 

